The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday, in a unanimous verdict, ruled that the Imran Khan-led PTI received prohibited funding from foreign individuals and companies in violation of Pakistani laws. It has issued a notice to the political party asking why the funds should not be confiscated.
The verdict came in a case filed by PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar which had been pending since November 14, 2014.
The ruling that has come as a major setback for Imran Khan states:
•PTI got prohibited funds from 34 foreign nationals and 351 foreign-based companies in violation of Pakistani laws.
•PTI took ownership of eight accounts, kept 13 hidden and failed to mention three
•Notice issued to PTI to explain why funds shouldn’t be confiscated
•Form-1 submitted by Imran Khanfor five years found to be “grossly inaccurate and wrong.”
Pakistan’s leading media outlet Dawn.com, said that verdict noted that the party “knowingly and willfully” received funding from Wootton Cricket Limited, operated by business tycoon Arif Naqvi. The party was a “willing recipient” of prohibited money of $2,121,500, it said.
The ECP said that the party “knowingly and willfully” also received donations from UAE-based Bristol Engineering Services , E-Planet Trustees (a Cayman Islands private registered company), SS Marketing Manchester (a UK-based private company), PTI USA LLC-6160 and PTI USA LLC-5975 which were “hit by prohibition and in violation of Pakistani laws”.
The ruling also states that the party received donations through PTI Canada Corporation and PTI UK Public Limited Company. “From both the companies, the amounts received into its accounts of PTI Pakistan are in violation of Pakistani laws.”
Further, the party received donations from Australia-based company Dunpec Limited, and Pakistani companies Anwar Brothers, Zain Cotton and Young Sports which was again in violation of the law.
“PTI Pakistan, through fundraising campaigns by PTI USA LLC-6160 and PTI USA LLC-5975, was a recipient of donations from 34 foreign nationals and 351 foreign-based companies. Collection of donations and contributions from foreign nationals and companies which are prohibited and in violation of Pakistani laws,” it said.
The electoral watchdog also said that the PTI had been found to be a beneficiary of donations made by Romita Shetty, a US-based business woman of Indian-origin which was in violation of the law.
The ECP said the party had only owned eight accounts before the commission and declared 13 accounts to be unknown. “The data obtained from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reveals that all the 13 accounts disowned by the PTI were opened and operated by senior PTI management and leadership at [a] central and provincial level.”
The commission noted that the party also failed to mention three accounts which were also being operated by the party’s senior leadership. Non-disclosure and concealment of 16 bank accounts by the PTI is a “serious lapse” on part of the PTI’s leadership and in violation of Article 17(3) of the Constitution, it said.
In its order, the commission also said that it was “constrained to hold that Imran Khan failed to discharge his obligations as mandated under the Pakistani statutes.”
“Imran Khan, for the five years under review, has filed submissions that were grossly inaccurate and wrong. Even during the course of scrutiny and hearing by this commission, the PTI continued to conceal and withhold complete and full disclosure of [the] source of its funds,” it said.
